Programming Principle Environmental Sustainability Environmental Sustainability in the
Programming Principle: Environmental Sustainability
Environmental Sustainability in the UN system • 3 groups of global environmental problems: – Global Commons Ozone depletion – Shared Natural Resources Cod fishery – Trans-boundary Externalities Chernobyl • Policy options for countries: – Informally agree on the solution and implement individually. – Formally agree on the solution in “soft law” Rio Declaration – Treaty agreement in “hard law” or Multilateral Environmental Agreement (MEA) Convention on Biological Diversity • Multi-lateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs): – In 3 broad clusters (climate, biodiversity, chemicals) with standards, rules, decision-making procedures, programmes to govern state parties – Many National Action Plans (NAPs)
Principles of Environmental Sustainability • Environmental Policy Integration • Transparency, Public Participation, and access to Information and Remedies • Precaution; • Polluter-Pays; • Responsibility for trans-boundary Harm; • Subsidiarity & Decentralisation
Methodology • Analyse and monitor the linkages between major development problems and the environment – Screen for environment linkages during country analysis • Advocate to include environment linkages in national development processes (PRSs, MDG strategies) • Set priorities addressing linkages and develop strategic programmes for UN-Government cooperation – Preliminary environmental review of draft UNDAF results • Sustain Country-led effort to “operationalize”: from plan to implementation • Engage with state actors, non-governmental actors and other development partners
Challenges • Find the right entry point • Find “champions” • Ensure the commitment of the planning or finance team • Provide country-specific evidence • Perform integrated policy appraisals • Engage key sector agencies • Consider the environment agency capacity • Acknowledge the need for sustained support
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